Summer is the best time for produce, and one of my favourite things to eat is juicy and sweet corn on the cob....steamed (or grilled), with just a little butter and salt. Delicious.
Not very creative though.
I don't know about you, but I'm always a little intrigued when I watch cooking shows and watch the TV chefs cut fresh corn straight off the cob. So when my cooking magazine arrived this month with recipes featuring that particular technique I decided to give it a go.
I can't lie: it's time consuming. But results can't be argued with, and my menu this week featured two delicious dishes (one side, one main) that showcased the fruit of my labour.......
#1: Corn and Bacon Saute
-1 or 2 slices of bacon (depending on your preference)
-2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
-1 1/2 tbsp butter
-3/4 cup sliced green onions
-lime wedges
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add bacon to pan and cook until crisp; remove from pan and crumble. Add corn to drippings in pan; cook 3 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter; cook 1 minutes or until butter melts. Stir in crumbled bacon and green onions. Serve with lime wedges...a spritz of fresh juice really makes the flavours sing!
#2: Creamy Corn Risotto
This recipe is a little more involved than the first, mainly because risotto is something that requires a lot of a attention. But don't let that scare you: the results are worth the effort. If you've never made risotto before I recommend giving this article a quick read as it provides step by step instructions (with photos) for the basic process.
On to the recipe!
Ingredients
-1 large red bell pepper
-4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
-1 3/4 cups low fat milk
-2 tbsp butter, divided
-2 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
-1 onion, finely chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp fresh ground pepper
-1/4 cup dry white wine
-1/2 cup sliced green onions
1) Combine corn, milk, and 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer; cook 10 minutes. Stir in stock, keep warm over low heat.
2) While the corn mixture is simmering, cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a baking sheet; flatten. Broil 8 minutes or until blackened. Place peppers in a ziplock bag; let stand at least 5 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside.
3) Melt the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic to pan; saute 3 minutes. Stir in rice, salt, and black pepper; saute 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in 1 1/2 cups corn mixture; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Reserve 1/2 cup corn mixture. Add remaining corn mixture, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total).
4) Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved corn mixture, bell pepper, and green onions.
Happy cooking!!
Not very creative though.
I don't know about you, but I'm always a little intrigued when I watch cooking shows and watch the TV chefs cut fresh corn straight off the cob. So when my cooking magazine arrived this month with recipes featuring that particular technique I decided to give it a go.
 |
| Practice was required to keep the kernels from flying everywhere. |
#1: Corn and Bacon Saute
-1 or 2 slices of bacon (depending on your preference)
-2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
-1 1/2 tbsp butter
-3/4 cup sliced green onions
-lime wedges
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add bacon to pan and cook until crisp; remove from pan and crumble. Add corn to drippings in pan; cook 3 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter; cook 1 minutes or until butter melts. Stir in crumbled bacon and green onions. Serve with lime wedges...a spritz of fresh juice really makes the flavours sing!
 |
| You could substitute frozen corn kernels for fresh if you're pressed for time, but the flavour just won't be the same... |
This recipe is a little more involved than the first, mainly because risotto is something that requires a lot of a attention. But don't let that scare you: the results are worth the effort. If you've never made risotto before I recommend giving this article a quick read as it provides step by step instructions (with photos) for the basic process.
On to the recipe!
Ingredients
-1 large red bell pepper
-4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
-1 3/4 cups low fat milk
-2 tbsp butter, divided
-2 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
-1 onion, finely chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp fresh ground pepper
-1/4 cup dry white wine
-1/2 cup sliced green onions
1) Combine corn, milk, and 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer; cook 10 minutes. Stir in stock, keep warm over low heat.
2) While the corn mixture is simmering, cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a baking sheet; flatten. Broil 8 minutes or until blackened. Place peppers in a ziplock bag; let stand at least 5 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside.
3) Melt the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic to pan; saute 3 minutes. Stir in rice, salt, and black pepper; saute 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in 1 1/2 cups corn mixture; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Reserve 1/2 cup corn mixture. Add remaining corn mixture, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total).
4) Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved corn mixture, bell pepper, and green onions.
 |
| My favourite part about this dish is that there is as much corn as there is rice, making it quite light. It's also lighter than typical risottos because it does not contain any cheese, but the milk/corn mixture makes it so creamy that you'll never miss that addition! |
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